Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival

Get Involved>

Event Submissions

The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival 2026 will take place from 19 October to 8 November. It’s our 20th Year and we’ll be exploring the theme of Reflections.

SMHAF is a platform for everyone to create and share art inspired by mental health, engaging audiences and participants across Scotland. Our open event submissions enable organisations and artists to host events as part of the national festival programme.

Event submissions will be accepted from 1 April 2026. Please read the event submission guide before completing the online form. Once you’ve submitted your event, we’ll get in touch to confirm that it has been approved and to request any further information we require.

If you have any questions about your event and whether it’s eligible for the festival, please get in touch at smhaf@mentalhealth.org.uk.

Event Submission Form
event submission guide
Ritu Arya: Peek-A-Boo
Photo by Alex Woodward

Event Submission Guide

What is the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival?

Now in its 20th year, the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) takes place across Scotland and is led by the Mental Health Foundation. This year’s festival will take place from 19 October to 8 November 2026, exploring the theme of Reflections.

SMHAF shares art inspired by mental health, explores how the arts and creativity can help everyone to have better mental health, and provides a platform for everyone to be creative.

By engaging with artists, connecting with communities and forming collaborations, we celebrate the artistic achievements of people with experience of mental health problems, challenge stigma and perceptions, and encourage participation in the arts to promote good mental health for all.

SMHAF aims to:

  • Explore how engaging with the arts can prevent mental health problems
  • Provide a platform for everyone to create and share art about mental health
  • Challenge stigma and perceptions about mental health problems
  • Engage diverse communities, including those at greatest risk of poor mental health
  • Encourage participation in the arts to promote good mental health

How can I get involved?

We’re inviting you – organisations, artists and communities – to develop events for SMHAF 2026 and help bring our Reflections theme to life.

Events can include exhibitions, creative workshops, performances, live music, film screenings, discussion events, and much more – anything that uses the arts or creativity in connection with mental health.   

Can you provide funding for my event?

We’re unable to offer funding for events submitted through this form. Funding can only be provided through our advertised opportunities.

If you are applying for funding for your event, we can also provide a letter of support to confirm that your event will feature in our programme and outlining the in-kind marketing and communications support we can provide.

Please get in touch to request a letter of support, or discuss any ideas you have for collaboration.

How can I connect with others in my local area?

Regional partners play a key role in shaping how the festival reaches new communities and supports arts activity across Scotland. Regional partners produce events, coordinate local programmes, build connections with other organisations, and support SMHAF’s development in new areas of Scotland.

Find out more about how to get involved in your local area here, including contact details for key regional partners.

How will you support my event?

Our team brings together all submitted events as a large scale national programme celebrating the arts and mental health. We also provide opportunities to connect and offer support to everyone in our network throughout the year.

Our inspiring creative programme features film, performance and writing programmes, community engagement, participatory arts activity, touring events, and artist commissions.

Our role in leading the festival also includes:

  • Fundraising to support the delivery of our creative programme and planning network
  • Leading marketing, press and media campaigns
  • Developing and promoting the festival brand across Scotland
  • Communication and support for regional coordinators and event organisers
  • Evaluation and understanding impact

What are the key dates?

The timeline for submitting events to the SMHAF 2026 programme are as follows:

Event Submission Deadline

Friday 24 July 2026: Events must be submitted by this date to be featured in the national print programme and national marketing and media campaigns.

Event Revisions Deadline

Friday 21 August 2026: All essential information for submitted events must be finalised by this date, including copy, venue(s), date(s), time(s) and ticketing information.

Final Print Deadline

Friday 28 August 2026: No further changes can be made to the national print programme after this date. It is essential that all information is accurate before the programme goes to print.

Website Listings Deadline

28 Days Before Event: Events may be submitted for website listings up to 28 days before your event takes place.

Please note that these listings provide a landing page for audiences to find your event but will not feature prominently in national marketing and media campaigns. We recommend submitting your event as early as possible for maximum impact.

Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival 2026

Monday 19 October to Sunday 8 November: Events must coincide with these dates. Long-running events, such as workshop series, touring events, exhibitions etc., may start earlier and/or finish later than the official dates.

Event Submission Form

Your Event

Event submissions will be accepted from 1 April 2026.
Keep titles short and engaging for audiences. Be creative and make it stand out. Avoid using the Reflections theme on its own as a title.
This description will be used in the festival programme. It should capture the attention of your target audience, inspire them to come to your event, and help them understand what they will be doing and who is involved. Max. 400 characters (with spaces).
Give a concise description to instantly capture the attention of your target audience and inspire them to come to your event. Max. 200 characters (with spaces).
An extended description can be used for online listings. Additional information may include an extended description, event schedules, quotes from participants, notable reviews etc. Max. 2000 characters (with spaces).

Event Dates

The Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival takes place from 19 October to 8 November 2026 and events should coincide with these dates. Long-running events, including workshop series, touring events, exhibitions etc., can start earlier and/or finish later than the official dates.
Please enter the first date on which this event takes place.
Start Time (Required)
Please enter the start time on this date.
:
End Time (Required)
Please enter the end time on this date.
:
For events with multiple dates and/or times, please provide all details here, with labels where required. For exhibitions, please provide full opening times and details of any launch events, tours, or workshops taking place. If your event takes place across additional venues, please also provide the name and address.

Venue

Enter details about your venue for the first date of your event. If your event takes place across multiple venues, please provide details of the other venues in the Additional Dates & Times box above.
Please enter your venue’s name and full address. For online events, enter the platform you will be using here (e.g. Zoom, Eventive) and leave the address blank.
Venue Address (Required)
Is your venue wheelchair accessible? (Required)

Please enter any other accessibility information relating to your venue. If your venue has an online accessibility guide and/or venue guide, please enter the link(s) here. There will be space to enter accessibility provision for your event below.
Please enter the closes public transport stations/stops and/or active travel routes to your venue to encourage sustainable travel. If your venue has an online transport guide and/or venue guide, please enter the link(s) here.

Ticketing

Is your event ticketed? (Required)
For ticketed events, online booking is preferred. Please enter your main booking link, e.g. tikt.link/filmawards, smhaf.eventbrite.com, outofsightoutofmind.scot.
Enter additional booking information here. This may include an email address or phone number.
Enter the main ticket price and any concession prices. Pay what you can ticket pricing structures are encouraged. Provide further details where relevant (e.g. By Donation). For free events, please enter FREE in capitals.
Enter the best contact details for public enquires about this event. This is essential if no other booking information is provided.

Event Accessibility

Please state any access provision you will offer at your event. This may include audio description, BSL interpretation, descriptive subtitles, live captioning, quiet room, sensory area etc.
If applicable, enter any age or other audience restrictions, e.g. 18+, Women only, including trans women and non-binary people, Members only etc.
If applicable, enter any content notes, sometimes known as trigger warnings (e.g. References to self-harm and suicide).

Images and Media

Please upload a minimum of one and maximum of three high resolution (min. 1MB, max. 5MB) JPG or PNG images that we can use to promote this event. Do not upload logos, flyers, posters, or images with text.
Please upload a minimum of one and maximum of three high resolution (min. 1MB, max. 5MB) JPG or PNG images that we can use to promote this event. Do not upload logos, flyers, posters, or images containing text as the primary image as we cannot include these in our website listings or printed brochure.
Drop files here or
Accepted file types: jpg, png, Max. file size: 5 MB, Max. files: 3.
    Please enter an image description for each image to make images accessible to people with visual impairments on our website listings.

    Marketing

    Enter names and short bios (max. 40 words) for each artist and organisation involved in this event. Examples of where this may be used include social media posts and newsletter items.
    Provide Facebook account(s) for artists and organisations involved in this event. This should be a custom username (e.g. ScottishMentalHealthArtsFestival) and not a full URL.
    Provide Instagram account(s) for artists and organisations involved in this event. This should be your username (e.g. mhfestival) and not a full URL.

    Primary Contact and Event Submission Agreement

    Event Submission Agreement(Required)

    Join Our Planning Network

    We’d love to hear from organisations who want to host events, support regional programmes, and shape the direction of the festival. Complete the contact form or email our team at smhaf@mentalhealth.org.uk to request to join our Scotland-wide planning network.

    Name(Required)
    Email(Required)